Thankful Things Thursday: Embracing The Rain & A Giveaway Winner

It’s another rainy day in NYC, but I predict the sun will come out this afternoon.

I’m obviously a skilled meteorologist, so you should go ahead and trust my conviction.

In addition to gloomy weather, today also brings along another edition of Thankful Things Thursday. If you’re new, here’s how we play: I list all the things I’m thankful for today, and then you add your own happy thoughts in the comments.

You can be thankful for anything, really. I am pretty much always thankful for food, for example, but sometimes I’m also thankful for more eccentric things, like graph paper. I have many diverse interests.

As promised, yesterday I put the names of everyone who donated into a big raffle. I was blown away when I added up the final numbers from the week-long giveaway.

Wow.

Yeah: $950 raised. I am so happy. You are all incredible.

And the winner of the “I Heart Sweat” necklace is Karen Arbasetti! Congratulations, Karen! I will email you later today so you can start customizing your necklace with the extraordinarily talented Ms. Erica Sara.

I’m thankful for spinning. Last night’s class was pretty standard, which means it was sweaty and spectacular, plus Sofia was there and that made it extra exciting for me.

I’m thankful to be dating someone who enjoys cooking healthy food. I am not always the most healthy person. I like to eat whatever is delicious, and that almost always means brownies and Moose Tracks ice cream. But I’m trying to be better about what I’m eating — meaning fewer processed foods mostly — and my efforts are made easier since that Handsome Person I’m hanging out with all the time likes to cook healthy, hearty, delicious meals.

I’m thankful for extra sleep this morning. I woke up at an apartment that wasn’t mine (not scandalous, Mom, it’s OK) and got up early to go back to my apartment and get my run done. But it looked like this outside:

Oh gross. Dark AND pouring? Blech. Back to bed.

I’m not afraid of inclement weather. I’ll run in rain and snow and last year I went on one particularly terrifying run through sleet and freezing rain. I have no safety qualms whatsoever.

But I am erring on the side of caution now that the marathon is just 16 days away (holy Hell). The whole way home I debated what to do: Go back to bed? Run in the downpour? Wait and run later? Make brownies? Online shop?

By the time I got home, I made the choice to slip back into pajamas and curl up with my favorite fuzzy blanket on top of my bed. I slept for an hour and it felt amazing.

I’m thankful I still ran. I woke up a bit before 7 and decided that the rain had stopped enough for me to run.

This is me and I am dry.

Yes, I do love sweat. Yes, I did sweat a ton this morning.

Coach Cane had me doing a 1-mile warm-up, 4 miles in Central Park at my marathon goal pace and a 1-mile cool-down.

Done.

Some of that is sweat and some of it is rain. It all smelled good.

The run was kind of amazing, actually. Since I got such a late start, I may have done my four middle miles just a bit quicker than marathon pace, but hey, maybe I’ll run my marathon at that pace, too?

Or maybe I should start listening to my coach and doing exactly what he says in these final 16 days.

Anyway. Great run. The park was empty due to the rain and it was nice and cool.

I’m thankful I saw the marathon course. Knowing what lies ahead has left me much more at ease. I’m not guessing and predicting what every hill and turn will be like. I know what they’ll be like. And I know I’ll crush it. Or at least I’ll try to…

I’m thankful I got to chat with my mom last night. I’ve been so busy last night and my phone hasn’t been working (as usual) but last night my phone worked for just long enough to catch up with my favorite little lady (really, she’s very short). I miss her.

We like to eat cake. We're working on our sharing skills.

I’m thankful for fall. More on this later, because I’m not totally convinced fall is here to stay (remember my inner meteorologist?), but it is my favorite season. So that’s cool.

I’m thankful I’m feeling strong and healthy. My stomach is still kind of iffy, but I’m trying not to think about it and I’m focusing on what does feel good which is everything else. I’d like to think that I’ve been training smartly throughout this marathon process thing, and I’m feeling mentally and physically powered-up.

I’m thankful for “Modern Family.” I’ve heard great things about the show but never really watched it from the start. Last night I caught two episodes and I was laughing — loud and hard — the entire time. Everyone on the show is so likeable! I will absolutely be Netflixing or Hulu-ing it or whatever I’m supposed to do to watch it from the beginning.

I’m thankful for graph paper. See? Told you. I love it.

I’m thankful my brother and his wife are getting a puppy. I feel like I’m about to become an aunt. I can’t wait to meet the little guy. His name is Grover.

I’m thankful that the weather has drastically cooled down in the mornings here in Houston. It’s been below 60 all week when I’ve gone running! I’m also thankful for my office building having showers in the bathroom, which means I can run-commute without getting up any earlier and have half an hour to spare after getting dressed.

We watched Modern Family for the first time start to finish, and I agree, it’s awesome!

We’ve been having rain off and on for a few days as well, nothing like the East Coast though. Definitely feeling the cooler fall temps, yesterday we didn’t even make it out of the 60s and last week we almost hit 100…CO is weird 🙂

I love Thankful Thursdays… such a great reminder on this rainy morning.
Here are a few things I am thankful:
to read your blog 🙂
that I have been able to bang out a few work projects in a couple of hours
I am feeling inspired to take on new challenges

I’m thankful for a fast tempo run this morning.
I’m thankful that you can put spinach in a smoothie and you can’t even taste it!
I’m thankful that I have a talented photographer husband who teaches me things.
I’m thankful that I get to live in such a beautiful place.

I’m thankful for inspiring blogs that I read over breakfast.
I’m thankful for swimming pools.
I’m thankful that my new rushed morning routine is the result of gainful employment, finally.
I’m thankful that while summer is ending everywhere else, it’s just starting in San Francisco!

I’m thankful that at 31 weeks pregnant I was still able to run almost five miles before work today (they were sloooooow miles…but still.)
I’m thankful for Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches.
I’m super thankful for short work weeks! Can’t believe tomorrow is Friday already!

I’m thankful for my super awesome little Keurig so that I can have delicious butter toffee coffee every morning!
I’m thankful for my pretty little Tia baby (dog) that sits patiently while I write new blog posts in the morning.
I’m thankful that my mom and her husband are visiting me today…very soon!!!

i am thankful for having motivating workout buddies/bloggyladyfriends/friends.
i am thankful for my health.
i am thankful for the comforts of home. more specifically, my bedroom. especially on a rainy day.
i am thankful that it’s almost friday. YEAH!

I was going to blow off my running plans today, but seeing this post gave me a little extra motivation — thanks!! I was lucky enough that by the time I got outside, the sun was peeking out, so I’m thankful for that too (though I still had to splash through puddles!)

Hmmm – I like that the SUN SHOWED ITS FACE TODAY so the US Open could start play again! I got my Believe I Am training journal I’ve been wanting since July. My stuffed animals always make me happy. Its been a good Thursday.